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| Bright poor children 'slip back' | Bright poor children 'slip back' |
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| Clever children from poor families face being overtaken by less bright children from affluent homes, research suggests. | Clever children from poor families face being overtaken by less bright children from affluent homes, research suggests. |
| The findings are part of a study for the Sutton Trust which says UK social mobility has not improved since 1970. | The findings are part of a study for the Sutton Trust which says UK social mobility has not improved since 1970. |
| It says rich children are catching up with poorer peers in developmental tests between ages three and five and will overtake them by the age of seven. | It says rich children are catching up with poorer peers in developmental tests between ages three and five and will overtake them by the age of seven. |
| The government says it is too early to say what will happen to the young people the charity's report focuses on. | The government says it is too early to say what will happen to the young people the charity's report focuses on. |
| Researchers from the London School of Economics and the University of Surrey examined the development of children born in 2000 and 2001 to see if that was influenced by income. | |
| They looked at test studies of children from various income groups at the ages of three and five. | They looked at test studies of children from various income groups at the ages of three and five. |
| It's about general aspirations, being in an environment that is conducive to talking about lots of different things Lee Elliott-Major, Sutton Trust | |
| The report said: "Children in the poorest fifth of households but in the brightest group drop from the 88th percentile on cognitive tests at age three to the 65th percentile at age five." | The report said: "Children in the poorest fifth of households but in the brightest group drop from the 88th percentile on cognitive tests at age three to the 65th percentile at age five." |
| Meanwhile those from the richest households who were among the least able at three moved up from the 15th percentile to the 45th percentile by the age of five. | Meanwhile those from the richest households who were among the least able at three moved up from the 15th percentile to the 45th percentile by the age of five. |
| Report authors Dr Jo Blanden and Professor Stephen Machin conclude: "If this trend were to continue, the children from affluent backgrounds would be likely to overtake the poorer children in test scores by age seven". | Report authors Dr Jo Blanden and Professor Stephen Machin conclude: "If this trend were to continue, the children from affluent backgrounds would be likely to overtake the poorer children in test scores by age seven". |
| They also said while 44% of young people from the richest 20% of households were awarded degrees in 2002, only 10% from the poorest 20% did so. | They also said while 44% of young people from the richest 20% of households were awarded degrees in 2002, only 10% from the poorest 20% did so. |
| The report concludes: "Parental background continues to exert a significant influence on the academic progress of recent generations of children. | The report concludes: "Parental background continues to exert a significant influence on the academic progress of recent generations of children. |
| "Stark inequalities are emerging for today's children in early cognitive test scores - mirroring the gaps that existed and widened with age for children born 30 years previously." | "Stark inequalities are emerging for today's children in early cognitive test scores - mirroring the gaps that existed and widened with age for children born 30 years previously." |
| Lee Elliott-Major, from the Sutton Trust, says the environment a child grows up in is all-important. | Lee Elliott-Major, from the Sutton Trust, says the environment a child grows up in is all-important. |
| "Parental background is so dominant in terms of predicting and influencing people's future prospects," he said. | "Parental background is so dominant in terms of predicting and influencing people's future prospects," he said. |
| "It's about general aspirations, being in an environment that is conducive to talking about lots of different things, it's those sorts of very broad things." | "It's about general aspirations, being in an environment that is conducive to talking about lots of different things, it's those sorts of very broad things." |
| Poverty gaps | Poverty gaps |
| The study also concludes that a narrowing of social mobility seen in the 1970s and 80s has now stabilised. | The study also concludes that a narrowing of social mobility seen in the 1970s and 80s has now stabilised. |
| However, the report says the UK remains one of the worst among developed countries for social mobility, alongside the United States. | However, the report says the UK remains one of the worst among developed countries for social mobility, alongside the United States. |
| Minister for Children Beverley Hughes said: "As we look to the future we hope to see more evidence of our reforms making a real difference to people's lives," she said. | Minister for Children Beverley Hughes said: "As we look to the future we hope to see more evidence of our reforms making a real difference to people's lives," she said. |
| "This new research is based on the Millennium Cohort born in 2000-01. It's far too early to say what will happen to those young people over their lifetime. | "This new research is based on the Millennium Cohort born in 2000-01. It's far too early to say what will happen to those young people over their lifetime. |
| "Those children have yet to enter Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, where overall standards are continuing to rise and poverty gaps have narrowed since 2003." | "Those children have yet to enter Key Stages 2, 3 and 4, where overall standards are continuing to rise and poverty gaps have narrowed since 2003." |